“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius

The year was 1985. Little Jefferson was just a grade schooler with the world resting squarely on his shoulders. Actually, it was resting more on his agile thumbs, and thus solely dependent on his exceptionally advanced hand-eye coordination.

“Time for bed, Jeffrey!” His mother called him Jeffrey only when he was in trouble, or so I’m told.

“But Mom! I’m saving the world from the evil space invaders!” I’m positive his adorable overbite made the term ‘space invaders’ that much more charming.

His mother, less charmed than me, doled out her final warning. He would have to save as many innocent civilians as possible in the 5 minutes she allowed, then he would be forced to abort the mission and head to bed. Even in his sleep, his thumbs would twitch as he dreamt of saving the world, or being chased by hungry, legless blobs, or firing missiles at ominous asteroids, or even just trying to get his frog avatar across a busy intersection. The Atari would be his favorite toy for the next several years.

In the late 80’s, he was introduced to a new love; Nintendo. From that moment on, every sleepover would be spent playing Nintendo with friends. Then, in the 90’s, fueled to buy the newest gaming system, a Sega Genesis, he started working for a local pizza joint. It was around that time that Jefferson’s family had purchased a personal computer, and not-so-little Jefferson discovered a natural talent.

Today, after having majored in I.T. and working in the field for 15+ years, it’s safe to say that working on computers and computing systems comes naturally to my husband. What’s weird is that he still loves doing it. Sure, he gets frustrated when he can’t figure out a complex issue like anyone else, but the difference between a computer whisperer and a normal person like myself is that he doesn’t give up. In fact, I’m not sure it’s possible for my husband to quit working on an issue until it’s rectified. It’s like his brain is wired differently than mine. He simply speaks and understands computers better than most. Because of this, it’s no surprise that he still works with computers, solving the world’s problems with clicks, java, and binary code.

In all honesty, I’m kind of jealous of how easily my husband’s path in life was chosen. It wasn’t a choice really; he just continued doing what made him happy. Luckily, he just happens to be good at what makes him happy, and that happens to afford him a decent salary. That’s not how it always works. I like playing volleyball a lot. It’s fun and it makes me happy. Unfortunately though, it won’t ever pay my bills. Now in my 30’s, and after taking a few years off here and there from working outside of the home to raise kids, I still feel like I’m trying to find my place in the world.

A few months ago, I started feeling like I wanted more for me. As a kid, I didn’t have the same undeniable talents and interests as my husband. I liked playing with Barbie dolls, reading, writing, experimenting with clothing and makeup, and daydreaming about boys of course. I did babysit some, worked as a waitress, and even worked at the Y for a bit. All I needed was a push, a compliment, someone to tell me they believed in me, and that’s exactly what happened. A friend of mine told me that I would fit in perfectly in the beauty industry and that I should give it a try. Now, 2 months into my leap back into the workforce, I can confidently say that I think she was right.

Still, unlike my husband, I don’t yet know where this will take me. For now, I’m happy to be back working outside of the home, helping with my family’s bottom line, and meeting some new people. So far, I really like my coworkers and my job, so we’ll see.

A couple of months ago, my then-still-two-year-old daughter decided she was way too big and old and mature to sit in a high chair. No self-respecting 2.5 year old would argue with this belief. In fact, I agreed wholeheartedly with my tot. She is as tall as a lot of 4-year-olds, after all. The only reason she was still cramming her toots into that high chair was sheer laziness and extreme frugality on the part of her tyrannical parents. We still had a perfectly fine table in our breakfast room that only sat 4. The plan was to move the dining room table (the one pictured above) into the breakfast room, refinish it, sell the smaller table, find another 5-plus-person table for the then empty dining room, buy two more chairs, and voila! As these are furniture pieces that we need to use on a daily basis, it was difficult to find time to do these things. I did what any crazy woman would do; started the project when my annoyingly logical husband was out of town. When I’m a single mom of 3 (for the week anyway), what else am I going to do?

I had my teenager help me move the tables. The smaller breakfast room table went into the garage and sold quickly on craigslist for almost as much as I had paid for it, while the larger dining room table got moved into the breakfast room. I spread out a drop cloth and then sanded the entire surface. It was the point of no return, the point that my husband specifically told me to avoid while he was away. I’m a terrible listener.

I started by applying one and a half coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Duck Egg. I’ve read with this particular product line that it’s not entirely necessary to sand or prime before painting a table, but the top of our 7-year-old dining room table definitely had some issues.

First were the burn marks. Or are these water marks? Not sure…

Then there’s the adorable message my son tried to carve into the tabletop with a nail. Adorbs, no? He was going to finish it “I my family” before I got to him. Poor guy…

Oh and we can’t forget about the spot my husband made. Let’s just say super glue is no longer allowed in the house. I still get mad/laugh/get mad when I see this spot.

Because of all the unevenness on the surface, I went ahead and sanded down the entire top of the table. The legs, I did not sand at all, buuuut I will say that 1.5 coats didn’t cover them as well. I think it may have even take 2-3 coats in some spots. However, I was going from a glossy black finish to a chalky white.

Once dry, you can start with the fun part; clear waxing then antiquing! Instead of following the rules (I told you I’m not so good at listening), I tried to save some money by using a regular furniture stain that I already had instead of the dark wax also by Annie Sloan. First, apply the clear wax. There are a lot of videos online about how to do this, but I honestly found it to be something that you just have to start doing to get the hang of it. Some tips:

Use a cheese cloth or very old and soft WHITE t-shirt. Do not ever, ever, ever, ever, EVER use a brand new BLACK t-shirt like some moron I know. Okay, it was me. I’m the moron. So don’t be like me!

Barely touch the cloth into the wax! You need the tiniest little bit. Too much and the surface of your furniture will forever feel like sticky candle wax. No one wants to eat off of candle wax.

Take your time and work in small sections.

If you use too much, and you probably will at first, use a clean part of the cloth to remove by buffing in a circular motion.

Once waxed, I used my furniture stain. Barely dampen a tiny spot of a new cloth and wipe onto a small section of the table. Wipe off any excess. Repeat for a darker look. Let dry for a full 24 hours before adding a second coat of clear wax to seal in the stain and give the surface a water-resistant barrier.

Finally, act like a complete crazy person when anyone tries to touch your table for the next several weeks. On the Annie Sloan website, they tell you to wait 4 weeks for the paint and wax to fully cure before use, so acting like a psychopathic mama bear around your newly beautified piece is totally justified.

]]>http://www.seedebtrun.com/painting-a-table/feed/08890Should You Buy a New or Used Car? Answer: Neither!http://www.seedebtrun.com/buy-a-new-or-used-car/
http://www.seedebtrun.com/buy-a-new-or-used-car/#commentsSun, 11 Feb 2018 12:43:15 +0000http://seedebtrun.com/?p=1649

When it comes time to purchase a vehicle for you and your family, there are many things to consider. You have to think about gas mileage, practicality, maintenance costs, styling, and financing, just to name a few. You also must choose if you are going to buy or lease the vehicle, which with just a little bit of math– ends up being an easy question (you should buy!). You find yourself with a much tougher question when you ask the question should I buy a new or used car?

New cars lose a significant chunk of their value (as much as 20%) as soon as you drive off of the lot, which is rather staggering. However, even with that, there are certain factors that make purchasing a new car the more desirable option. This post will examine the main reasons why people opt for both new and used cars, and will present a third option that we here at See Debt Run have used for both of our family cars.

New Cars

What is it about that “New Car Smell” that makes it so appealing? What does it mean? It means that this car is fresh from the factory, and is basically a blank canvas. If this new car has a future as a well maintained workhouse that will run for over 200,000 miles, it is mostly up to you- the new owner. Yes, the main appeal of purchasing a new car, is that you have the full lifetime of the vehicle at your disposal. Sure, that shiny new toy will surely be dotted with the bumps and nicks of life over the next several years– but it is appealing to know that you will be the one who is doing the bumping and nicking. In time, that new car smell will be replaced with the scents of your life.

From a financial perspective, there is a price to all of that comfort. Because they depreciate so quickly, the price of new cars is considerably more than what you will pay for a used one. In recent years, however, manufacturers and dealers have really stepped up their incentive programs to help bridge the dollar gap between new and used. If you have decent credit and can swing a 36 month loan, zero percent interest loans are fairly commonplace. Many dealerships will also inflate the value of your trade in, in an effort to get you to help clear new inventory off of their lot. Virtually every automaker offers a warranty on their new vehicles (of varying lengths and qualities), which will give you both financial protection and peace of mind. Several have even started offering “maintenance care plans” that actually cover the costs of routine maintenance on new cars, which is a trend that we fully approve of!

Used Cars

When you start to go car shopping, you should already have a dollar figure in mind for what you can afford. The simple truth is, that your money is going to go a lot further if you purchase used instead of new. For the same investment, you should be able to upgrade to a nicer model. For example, you can get a Toyota Camry instead of a Toyota Corolla, or a Nissan Maxima instead of an Nissan Altima. The mark-up on options is also considerably lower on used cars. If you prefer to have leather seats, a premium sound system, a sun roof, or navigation system, these options can carry a hefty price tag on new vehicles. When you purchase used, the original owner paid the bulk of the costs, and you get to reap the benefits.

While saving money is the obvious benefit to purchasing a used vehicle, a portion of the car’s life has already been used up. Depending on how many miles the car has driven (easy to see), and how well it was maintained (much harder to see), the car may not have as much life left in it as you would hope. It wouldn’t be smart to take out a five year loan, for example, on a car with more than 50,000 miles. If your car breaks down and you still find yourself having to make payments, you could find yourself in a very hairy situation.

The See Debt Run Option: Purchase a Slightly Used Car

We define a slightly used car as having less than 25,000 miles on it, which puts it in its relative auto infancy. Purchasing a car in this state has multiple benefits:

You get all the benefits of a used car, in that the lot premium has already been paid– and thus you should be able to afford a nicer model with more options.

Prior to 25,000 miles, the only scheduled maintenance items are oil changes (and tire rotations). Most people at least do this for their vehicles, so the amount of damage that can be done by previous owner’s neglect is limited.

Since the car is fairly new, chances are high that a good portion of the manufacturer’s warranty is still in effect. Many dealers will also offer a “certified” program that will extend this warranty even further.

As mentioned previously, we have two vehicles that we purchased slightly used in the past few years. Our family car is an SUV, with leather seats and a flip-up third row. We purchased it from the used lot of a luxury dealership with 25,000 miles on it. We saved over $12,000 off of the price being asked for a similarly equipped new version of the same car. Our second car is a larger four-door sedan, which I call my “work-sled”. It was about 5 years old when we purchased it, but only had 18,000 miles on it! The previous owners were elderly, and didn’t drive very much. As such, we saved nearly $20,000 off of the cost of purchasing a newer version of same car.

If you find yourself car shopping in the months to come, you should consider the slightly used option!

It started with a hole in the wall. Actually, there were two. We had a small storage area under the stairs that we weren’t using, and a daughter who needed a spot to play, so we grabbed our hammer and went to work.

After framing out the doorway, we installed two lights; a porch light ($8 at homedepot.com) and a small chandelier ($15 on craigslist). Then, my amazing husband replaced and repaired the drywall. While I don’t think he should quit his day job, I do think it looks fantastic! I framed the window with hardboard, which is super cheap and smooth, so it’s easy to wipe clean. We then added trim and decorative detail to the door and window, painted everything using leftover paint from other rooms and projects, and laid down some carpeting from when the previous owners had finished part of the basement. Overall, this was a fairly inexpensive project, and we’re really happy with the results. More importantly, our daughter loves it!

The best thing about this project is that we did it all ourselves instead of paying hundreds to have it completed. We also didn’t have to buy any decorations or furniture for this DIY playhouse. The doll bed, rug, and chair were all gifts. The picture of our dog was something my daughter had requested, and we happened to have the frame. The other artwork was made by my adorable tiny artist. The exterior paint was a color I had leftover from another room in the house, and the trim color is the same as the built-ins that I’d recently refinished. We did purchase the flower pot (also a homedepot.com find), and the flowers and “mulch” were about $8 at Michaels. I almost bought one of those foam flower molds, but they were way more expensive than I thought. I used a regular household sponge that was only $2 and covered it with the faux mulch. Of course my daughter picked out the pretty flowers.

Originally, we planned to drywall over the opening that just went to the ugly water heater and furnace. However, I’m really glad we decided against that. We positioned the kitchen so that it partially blocks off the utilities, and hung a cute curtain to hide the rest. It’s not perfect, but it was less expensive and will definitely make it easier for us to transition the space back to a storage room in the future if necessary. Another plan we changed mid project was the front door. Although a small dutch door would undoubtedly be adorable, it could also be a safety concern. Little fingers have a tendency to get pinched in doorways and they’re also a lot more difficult for moms and dads to crawl through. We’ve even thought so far ahead to realize that there will likely be times that we have to grab a little girl, kicking and screaming, and drag her through said doorway. We instead opted for curtains. These curtains were completely FREE…kind of. I had bought these panels on clearance at target.com for my kitchen window, cut them down to size, and then had enough fabric to make two smaller valances for our breakfast room windows. That’s right; two curtain panels covered THREE windows, one playhouse doorway, and I’ve still got two very small pieces that I could even make tiny draperies for the playhouse window if I really wanted to be a kook. (I might some day. I’m tired today.)

This morning, I took care of another little girl the same age as my daughter, and they played in the playhouse the entire time. I’m proud to say that my daughter was an excellent hostess to her friend, offering her refreshments and the only best seat in the playhouse! I can see her enjoying this space for years to come, and I hope she does.

]]>http://www.seedebtrun.com/diy-playhouse/feed/08901Why I Doubled Down on Life Insurancehttp://www.seedebtrun.com/why-i-doubled-down-on-life-insurance/
http://www.seedebtrun.com/why-i-doubled-down-on-life-insurance/#commentsWed, 10 Jan 2018 14:54:11 +0000http://seedebtrun.com/?p=4246

It’s hard for me to admit that there was a time, not all that long ago, that I didn’t make life insurance a priority. My employer provided one-year salary as a standard benefit, but in the grand scheme of things- that was nothing. It wasn’t enough for to pay off the mortgage, it wasn’t enough to pay for my kids to go to college, and perhaps even more importantly– it wasn’t enough to buy my wife (who stays at home with our young daughter) some time to figure out a plan to provide for our children in the event that I was unable to do so.

Even before we started this website and started climbing out of debt, I finally came to grips with the fact that death can come any where, any time, to anyone. I was in my early thirties and didn’t have a ton of risk factors, but that didn’t mean that the risk wasn’t there. As such, I took on an extra $37/month payment for a life insurance policy on myself, to make sure that my family would be covered. Adding an extra monthly expense to the top of the pile when you are trying to get out of debt certainly doesn’t make your life any easier, but frankly– it is just careless not to go this route. If you don’t have kids, then certainly the same urgency is not there. But if you have people depending on you, getting a life insurance policy should be your number one priority. This is true even if you are carrying debt, and even if you haven’t even taken the first step towards getting rid of that debt (creating an emergency fund).

Because it is such an important topic in personal finance, we have talked about life insurance before here at See Debt Run. Michelle talked about the fear that comes along with being a one income family, when your husband isn’t at home and isn’t answering his cell phone. I talked about how the feeling of invincibility that we have in our youth eventually gets replaced by the realization that our time on this planet is limited, and leaving our loved ones high and dry just cannot be an option.

At the end of this year, my employer announced that they were dramatically shuffling their employee benefits, and a slew of new options were now available. These changes were mostly for the better, and the best of all was the announcement that they were offering life insurance at a hugely discounted rate. I noticed that I could get the same amount of coverage that I was currently getting through a third party, for about 25% of the cost. The downside of this, of course, was that the policy was only valid if I stayed employed with the company. Since I had no plans to switch jobs, I immediately jumped at the opportunity. The plan was initially to drop my existing policy once this one took effect, thus saving a nice chunk of change each month.

When you sign up for life insurance, the first step in the process is to have a nurse come out to your home to give you a health checkup. They take your blood pressure, do a saliva test (to make sure you aren’t lying about being a non-smoker), and draw a little blood to test for drugs and a few diseases. Some might find this invasive, but the insurance companies do charge higher rates for those that have higher risk factors (as might be expected). A few weeks later, I got notice that my application was approved and my policy was active.

Effectively at that point, I had double the life insurance that I initially calculated that I “needed”. In reality, this new number was probably more appropriate for my current lot in life. If something happened to me, my wife would almost certainly need to go back to college to finish her degree. While that was occurring, she would need child care and likely wouldn’t have much money to cover her day-to-day bills. I decided to go ahead and keep my existing insurance plan on top of the work plan– effectively doubling down on my life insurance.

If you don’t already have coverage, I would strongly recommend looking into purchasing life insurance to protect your family. There are people who are very close to me who lost their parents in an automobile accident when they were very young, and while it was a horrible and life changing experience for them to go through, it could have been even worse if their parents hadn’t taken the time to setup a proper life insurance policy prior to their passing. Losing a loved one is always a very painful experience, and forcing those left behind to handle an incredible financial burden immediately after is just something that should never happen.

When we moved into our new house last year, we made a lot of quick decisions about what to keep and what to toss. Something my husband and I disagreed about were these old picture frames. They were brassy in color, and some no longer had the glass in them. I told him I wanted to paint them a different color and use them in the new house, but he was on a minimalist mission to throw out anything we weren’t currently using. Since I also knew our new house would have more storage space, I talked him into letting me keep my project frames. After repainting and organizing our daughter’s room, I decided what I wanted to do with the frames finally.

My daughter, believe it or not, didn’t want a pink bedroom in our new house. When asked what colors she wanted in her bedroom, she said green and blue. I interpreted that by painting her room a greenish blue called Robin’s Egg Blue, and decorating with accents of bright white, ballet slipper pink, and touches of minty green. The longest wall in her room is where I put up the frames, with a fresh coat of kilz, a spray of white, then a laquer to give them just a touch of sheen. Instead of framing family pictures, I added a little whimsy with girly words, flowers, and birds to tie in the theme of her quilt, and also for a play on the color of her walls. Repurposing old picture frames is such a simple and completely free (if you happen to have the paint already, that is) DIY home decor project that anyone can do.

Now that she’s 2 and a half and fully potty trained, I think we’ll be getting rid of the crib soon. I’ll update soon with the full remodel!

]]>http://www.seedebtrun.com/repurposing-old-picture-frames/feed/08903Guide to Surviving a Merger or Acquisition – Don’t Be Part of the Synergies!http://www.seedebtrun.com/guide-to-surviving-a-merger-or-acquisition-dont-be-part-of-the-synergies/
http://www.seedebtrun.com/guide-to-surviving-a-merger-or-acquisition-dont-be-part-of-the-synergies/#commentsThu, 21 Dec 2017 16:00:59 +0000http://seedebtrun.com/?p=2078

If you have worked for a large corporation in the 21st century, chances are good that you have been, or will one day be a part of a merger or acquisition. With the volatile nature of the public stock market, companies are buying each other left and right like they are figurines at an estate sale. These multi-billion dollar transactions can have far-reaching consequences if you are an employee at either the company being purchased or the one doing the purchasing.

I have worked for two different large corporations that had a flare for acquisitions, and have been through the process multiple times. At the time that an acquisition is announced, there is typically a large amount of “synergies” between the two companies that will help offset the purchase cost. Translated, this means that the two companies will have a large number of people who will be doing the same job, and that half of those jobs will be redundant after the merger. To put it bluntly, people will be laid off. Knowing this, there are steps that you should take to position yourself well in the months leading up to closing date, to ensure that you are not one of those who become “synergized.”

Everything You Have Done.. Doesn’t Matter

I know, I know.. You are “the guy” (or gal) who understands the correct way to generate TPS reports for your company. The company sent you to training classes and you even wrote all of the documentation on this process. But with the announcement of a merger or acquisition, you need to realize that the times they are a-changing. The fact that you are good at your current job is not a guarantee that your position is safe in the company going forward. After the merger dust settles: teams will be combined, managers will take on new roles, and job functions can shift dramatically. After all, the new (combined) company may elect to not use TPS reports at all.

Many corporations have a bad habit of boxing their employees into vary narrow roles. These employees become an expert in one thing, but have no opportunities to see the bigger picture and understand how the work that they are doing is affecting the company’s bottom line. If this sounds familiar to you, you might have some cause for concern. You need to make an effort to diversify yourself and learn some new skills as soon as possible. Don’t be afraid to ask management the big-picture questions about why things are done the way that they are done, and how they will be changing in the future integrated company. Identify yourself as someone who can help make that vision a reality.

Integration is the Buzzword

Chances are good that as the merger date gets closer and closer, old projects will start to get cancelled and resources will start to free up. The reason for this is that it doesn’t make sense for the business to continue to invest in the organizations and infrastructure of the past, when many of these things may not be a part of the future of the combined company.

However, in the midst of all of the cancellations, a whole new spectrum of projects will open up under the umbrella of “integration.” It is wise to try to get involved as much as possible in these integration projects, as they will be paving the way for the future. Ask to get invited to meetings, and try to reach out to employees in the other company to discuss the differences in procedures and processes, to make sure you will have a voice in the future direction. The more you know about the strengths and weaknesses of both methods of operation, the more valuable you will be. Tell your managers that you want to be a part of the integration effort and that you are willing and eager to branch into new roles and responsibilities, in order to get included.

It’s Time to Find It.. The Rainbow Connection

When two large companies come together, one of the first things that is done is a large assessment of the employees on both sides of the merger. The best way to position yourself for these meetings, is to have as many managers as possible know who you are, and be willing to speak up on your behalf. The old adage says that it isn’t what you know, it is who you know, and it is critical to have your name out there as somebody who can make things happen. You cannot simply bank on your own manager (and even his manager) to have your back, because you don’t know if their role will be changing in the new company.

I mentioned earlier that you should connect with folks doing similar jobs in the other company, and this is critical here as well. If you have people on both sides who bring up your name as a key contributor, you should absolutely find yourself on the right list coming out of those assessment meetings.

Reality Check: You Still Need to Prepare For the Worst

While the tips above were meant to give you some suggestions for how best to position yourself, every merger is going to be different. I have been through a merger where the company that I was working for acquired a huge competitor, and we all expected our worlds to change completely. But when all was said and done, there were no layoffs and our job functions remained unchanged for the most part. On the other hand, a different merger that I was involved with carried massive reorganizations, and many good people (and hard workers) lost their jobs.

In spite of your best efforts, this could potentially happen to you. News of a merger or acquisition by your company should at the very least be a wake-up call to get your resume up to speed, and to reach out to friends and former colleagues in the industry. The local market may soon be saturated with folks who are in the same boat as you, and if you start to see warning signs that you may not be a part of your company’s future plans, is would be wise to start looking around to see what else is out there.

For the past few months, one of the greatest sources of smiles for my two boys (now ages 12 and 9) has been a computer game called Minecraft. The game is basically a computerized 3D lego world, and playing it clearly gets my kids’ creative juices flowing. Strangely, my boys both spend far more time talking about the game (with each other and with their friends) than actually playing it.

Whenever my kids are really into something like this, I always try to make an effort to learn a little bit about it so that I can understand their conversations and perhaps offer some suggestions. A few weeks ago, I sat down and watched them play the game for half an hour and I was mortified to see how much trouble my home PC was having running the game. Minecraft is certainly not a very demanding game, as the graphics are very simple and retro, but my system clearly couldn’t handle it. The amount of lag and crashes that the boys were having to deal with in order to play the game was just painful for me to watch (full disclosure: I do work on computers for a living).

When I was the same age as my boys, computers and video games were already a big part of my life. This was back when home computers were just coming into the mainstream, and I was immediately drawn to them. Within a few months of my parents purchasing the first family PC, I had already learned how to write batch scripts to accomplish repeatable tasks, and had started creating small games in BASIC. This passion eventually led to my choosing to get a computer science degree in college, and launched me into a career where I am able to earn a fairly decent salary that allows for me to take care of my family.

As such, I certainly encourage my kids to learn everything they can about computers, and I wouldn’t discourage them from one day using these skills to craft a living for themselves (see what I did there?). About once a month, I give my kids a “daddy computer lesson” where I dig into either the hardware or software side of computers, and pour some of my experience into their brains. Previous lessons have included setting up a new router, understanding file compression, and replacing a power supply.

After watching them struggle through trying to run a modern game on a five year old system, I realized that their feelings about computers were likely going to be centered around utter frustration, unless I did something. Since my middle son’s birthday was coming up, I made the pitch to upgrade the home PC as a birthday present to him this year. Since he loves Minecraft as much as anyone, he was immediately on board with the idea. We packed the family up and went up the local Microcenter to pick up some components to build a new system.

I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to purchase before setting foot in the store, but the staff was extremely helpful with making sure that all of the parts were compatible. If you don’t have one in your area, Microcenter basically to computer techies what IKEA is to the HGTV crowd, a true nerd candy land. When the day was done, we took all of the parts home and I began the best daddy computer lesson yet, building a computer from scratch. Part by part, I put the system together and explained what each part did and why it was important. My kids asked a lot of questions, which I was thrilled to see, and I think they enjoyed the process.

In the end, the new system blows the old one of out of the water. The polygon 3D worlds now render quickly and effortlessly. and the system should be able to handle anything we throw at it for the next few years. I don’t think my kids realize that I was secretly trying to plant seeds for a potential career down the road, but at the same time, I was clearly crafting some smiles in the process.

As Missouri winter kicks into high gear, this is the time of year when many Midwesterners start to check out the job and housing markets down in sunny Florida. Shorts and flip-flops sound quite nice when compared to the stinging cold face slap that we get when we step outside. I know that it was only a few short years ago when I was considering selling my home and packing the family up for warmer pastures.

But when all the cards are on the table, I know that we aren’t going anywhere. The job market down in Florida isn’t the best, and the concept of the “sunshine tax” is very real when considering moving South. In addition, pretty much all of our family is here in town, and we absolutely adore our home and our neighborhood. Sure, we do have to tolerate some annoyingly brisk days in the winter months, but all places have their pros and cons.

That doesn’t mean of course, that we don’t try and find a way to get down to the Gulf Coast each year. I always have my eye out for a great deal where someone is willing to rent out or even sell a timeshare for a great price. There is something about that line where the sky meets the sea, it just calls me. I love the beach and the laid back timeline that comes with it. All of these sound like a pretty amazing way to spend a day: renting a boat, fishing from the beach, body surfing, or just building a big sand castle with the kids.

The timeshare thing is interesting because I wouldn’t recommend buying one for everybody. One of my favorite things to do when heading down to the gulf coast is to rent someone else’s timeshare for the week. Your typical timeshare is going to be a bit nicer than a hotel room. There will often be amazing amenities and restaurant options on the premises, and the room itself is likely to be spacious with a full kitchen and multiple bathrooms. The grounds are typically watched by a security guard and are generally kept in pristine condition.

If you already own a timeshare, then you can perhaps look into using these same sites to take advantage of people like me who find themselves Florida dreaming. I would recommend that you don’t just keep your timeshare indefinitely. There are many scenarios where I would consider selling a timeshare, if I no longer wanted to visit the same destination each year. Or just keep your timeshare, and take advantage of their swapping program (if they have one).

In conclusion, yeah, I wish I was in Florida right now. I still don’t totally rule out the idea of moving there some day if I could capture a salary that would make the move worthwhile. For now, the midwest is where we will stay. But like every year about this time, I will have fend off these dreams of palm trees and Mickey Mouse.

Hi friends! I have a confession. I hope that I’m not the only person that does this, but I’m really awesome at starting projects and really terrible at finishing them. The built-ins above have been mostly finished for months, but just recently did I put the finishing touches on the crown molding. This is how life goes, and I never estimate correctly how much time to allot for each project. I really think that if I were truly honest with myself (and my husband) about how much time and energy every job would take, we would never start anything. So you see, my optimism (cough: naivety) pays off in spades!

1-2 gallons of paint in the color of your dreams. In my dreams, everything is clean and no one ever has chocolate on their grubby little fingers.

Your choice of wallpaper and glue. Obviously, I like my wallpaper like my men; thick and difficult to work with.

A sander, drop cloth, safety goggles, and a couple of dust masks.

And finally, an abundance of time, patience, and wine.

Before beginning the built in bookcases transformation, I over-confidently decided that I would get the prep work done in one day, and the first coat of paint done by the second. If you’re laughing at this adorable burst of verve and idealism, it’s okay; I’ll assume you’ve done a project like this before. It took me the first two days to finish the prep work. Prepping is very important for this project, because if you have natural toned wood and are wanting to paint over, the wood likely has a coat or two of polyurethane, and possibly a stain as well. You’ll want to sand until the wood is completely natural and smooth. Sounds like a whole lot of work, right? Well, here’s that upper arm work out you’ve been looking for! You’re welcome!

For me, it’s easier to stay organized from the beginning. When you remove the cabinet doors, put all of the hardware into separate bags or containers, and label them. The shelves were pretty heavy, but trust me — it’s a lot easier to paint them evenly when they’re removed and laid out. I just used an unfinished room in my basement so that we could still at least walk through the family room.

This job took a lot longer than it probably should have, but I’m still pretty proud of it. My husband only had to help me with reattaching the two top shelves. Other than that, this was my baby.

Like everything else in my house, this room is a lived-in work in progress. There are still many updates I’d like to make, but these things take time…and money. I love the built-ins and the wood-burning fireplace in my home, and I’m so happy with how everything looks with a fresh coat of paint. You would never even know that all of those cabinets are filled with dolls, puzzles, games, and children’s books. Well, technically, now you do, but I had to tell you. Built-ins rule!